Fire Cider Health Tonic and Homeopathic Remedy

This Fire Cider Health Tonic and Homeopathic Remedy recipe stands as one of the most popular on my blog. Originally published August 8, 2014, the photos and notes have been updated, so I wanted to share it with you again.

I would also like to take this opportunity to remind people who take issue with my use of the word homeopathic that I’ve addressed it below and simply will not put up nastiness. People.

It’s not the end of things if we disagree on semantics, but I’m going to insist we be nice here on Foodie with Family.

To anyone visiting for the purpose of discussing my use or perceived misuse of the word “homeopathic”:

I am using a casual definition of the word supported by google, WebMD, and Merriam Webster: “That is, if a substance causes a symptom in a healthy person, giving the person a very small amount of the same substance may cure the illness.

In theory, a homeopathic dose enhances the body’s normal healing and self-regulatory processes.” I will not be discussing this issue any further. Any new comments seeking to chastise me for the use of the word will not be published.

Important Note: I am NOT under any circumstances claiming this will cure anything. I’m laying out a recipe that is both delicious and nutritious. I am also explaining some of the purported health benefits of the ingredients that go INTO the recipe.

This post is no substitute for professional medical advice, but is a classic folk tonic/remedy. I trust you all to use your own best judgment in the manner.

Wait! Don’t run away screaming! I know I’m in serious danger of sounding like an irredeemable hippie, but I have something really, really FUN for you today.

I have a savoury, spicy, infused vinegar. Yes. Two infused vinegars in a row! This one is only slightly more complicated than the Coconut Infused White Balsamic Vinegar in has it has a few more ingredients and requires a bit more chopping and grating, but beyond that, it’s every bit as easy, it just requires more patience.

Before I get to why, I want to get to the reason YOU SHOULD MAKE THIS! For starters, it tastes awesome. I mean AWESOME. Oh, and did I mention it’s a health tonic?

We wandered into the Cabot Cheese Shop where the clerk enthusiastically offered a sample of something called Fire Cider to us. Given that I have been known to drink pickle juice and/or a shot of raw apple cider vinegar each morning (more on the health benefits of that in a moment), it didn’t take much to convince me to try it.

It was a SHAZAAM moment. It was a savoury liquid infusion with an amazing balance of tangy raw apple cider vinegar, horseradish, garlic, onion, ginger, and citrus with just a hint of honey.

It was exactly what we all needed to de-sluggify all of us after our rich food benders. Brandy, Carrie, and Gina grabbed a bottle. I grabbed two.

When I got home, my husband looked at me sideways when I told him what it was, but he drank the sip I gave him and his eyes grew huge as he declared, “THIS IS GREAT! We’re going to need to keep this around!”

I went online to order a larger quantity and discovered that the manufacturer had a bit of controversy surrounding them because fire cider was an old folk remedy and health tonic made by many herbalists and the company had trademarked the name. Okay, well, knowing me, you’ll probably have realized at this point that when I read I could make my own, that was a foregone conclusion.

Would I regularly buy a product from a company that had trademarked a word that was the herbal world’s equivalent of t-shirt and was enforcing that trademark or would I make my own? Well, um, duh?

I wanted to make one as close in flavour to the one I had purchased, so I used my only superpower (identifying flavours in a dish) to figure out what I wanted to put in my Fire Cider Health Tonic and Homeopathic Remedy.

Garlic is used to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, heart attack, atherosclerosis, asthma, building the immune system, help level blood sugar, and is used topically to treat fungal infections.

Oranges are great for heart health, as part of a best-case-scenario-anti-cancer-diet, fighting cholesterol, to help in weight loss, and to break up or prevent kidney stones.

Lemons are known to aid in digestion, alleviate Meniere’s Disease, kidney stones, and ringing of the ears, cure scurvy (chronic lack of Vitamin C), treat colds and flu, improve the function of blood vessels, and reduce inflammation and retention of water.

Turmeric is pretty much the be-all and end-all of health foods. It’s known to delay liver damage, reduce carcinogenic compounds in other foods, make cancer cells more vulnerable to chemo and radiation, inhibit the growth of malignant melanoma and breast cancer, alleviate arthritis symptoms and skin conditions. Heck, maybe I should let the experts describe what the main compound in turmeric -cucurmin- does. Advanced Experimental Medical Biology in 2007 states that, “Curcumin has been shown to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities and thus has a potential against various malignant diseases, diabetes, allergies, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and other chronic illnesses.”

Raw apple cider vinegar (not plain old cider vinegar!) is known to be a good source of acetic and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), mineral salts, amino acids, and other key components of good nutrition, but it is also a well-loved folk remedy thought to ease digestion, fight obesity and diabetes, wash toxins from the body, kill lice, and reverse aging. Does it do all of that? I dunno. But it surely tastes good and it’s nutritional value is undisputed.

The beauty of this, beyond its all-star cast of healthy ingredients, is that it just plain tastes wonderful. We drink a tablespoon (or more!) every morning to maintain health. Well, okay, we MAINLY drink it because we like it, but the health benefits are nice.

When you feel ill, take a slightly larger dose of Fire Cider Health Tonic and Homeopathic Remedy to help boost your immune system. Word has it on the street that it’s an extremely effective hangover cure. So, I want to know… are you curious enough to try it? What do you think?

Cook’s Notes

There’s not too much to this, just grate or chop everything up and put it in a jar. That’s where I’m going to caution you. If you cannot or will not use a plastic lid, do lay a piece of parchment paper on the rim of the jar before fixing your lid in place. Raw apple cider vinegar is quite likely to motivate a canning jar lid to rust or discolour. You’d hate to have all your waiting and work ruined by a rusted lid. Replace that parchment sheet every week or so.

I prefer to use Bragg’s Raw Apple Cider Vinegar for my Fire Cider. I always keep it on hand because I love the flavour and I also love the health benefits it offers. Because it still has the ‘mother’ in it, it packs a higher nutritional punch. I understand that Trade Joe’s and Whole Foods also have in-house brand versions that are great.

I’d advise you to use organic produce if at all possible. This way you won’t be infusing your lovely health tonic with anything you wouldn’t want to have in it.

When you grate your horseradish, make sure you do it in a well-ventilated area or you will regret it. That stuff packs some serious oomph and will empty your sinuses in 30 seconds flat.

When it’s time to strain your Fire Cider Health Tonic & Homeopathic Remedy, line a colander with butter muslin, a muslin tea towel, or a double layer of super fine cheesecloth, and set it over a large, stable pot. Pour the contents of your jar into the lined colander and let it drain for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes, pull the corners of the cloth together and twist to squeeze the contents until you cannot squeeze any more liquid from it. You may reserve the solids for tossing in stir-fries or discard them.

You’ll notice there is not an actual quantity of honey listed in the recipe. You should add this to taste. We tend to like ours less sweet, you may prefer yours more so. Start with 1/4 cup and whisk it well, then add 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking after each addition, until you reach your desired sweetness.

It’s best to choose raw, locally produced honey for the benefits listed above. The second choice is raw honey. The third choice would be pasteurized commercial honey.

Instructions

Grate the horseradish and ginger roots. Roughly chop the onions, orange, lemon, garlic, and habanero peppers. Stuff them into a half-gallon glass jar with a tight fitting lid or divide evenly between two quart sized canning jars. Sprinkle the turmeric in on top (dividing evenly between the two jars if using quart jars). Pour the raw apple cider vinegar in over the contents, allowing it to settle in through the crevices and adding more so that the contents are submerged. Lay a piece of parchment paper over the rim of the jar, then screw the lid tightly in place. Let the mixture sit in a dark, cool place, allowing it to marry and infuse for 4 weeks, shaking once daily.

After 4 weeks, pour the contents into a muslin or cheesecloth lined colander positioned over a stable pot. Let it drain for 30 minutes, then gather the corners of the cloth, twisting and squeezing until you cannot release any more liquid. When it's fully strained, add honey to the liquid to taste and pour into a sterilized wine bottle or canning jar. Store in a cool, dark place for up to a year, shaking well before using.

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Not Your Mama’s Canning Book: Modern Canned Goods and What to Make with Them is available to order through these fine retailers!

This sounds interesting and pretty good. However, I strongly urge you to not call this a homeopathic remedy! If you read about homeopathic medicine you will see that it is defined as diluting something many, many times. The theory is that a tiny bit of what ails you can actually make you better. Homeopathic remedies are so dilute that they are essentially water. This is clearly NOT what your recipe is! You could call it 'natural' or maybe a folk remedy, but it is thankfully not real homeopathy... though this scientist almost couldn't click the link with that word in the title!

Thanks for your input, Kate. I won't quibble over the title (which will stand), but by that definition, raw, local honey does count as homeopathic since it contains the pollen of the plants that trouble you. You're right that much of what is in there has a straight up, definable health benefit in pretty large quantities, though!

No, but see that's my point! There actually is pollen in the honey, whereas true homeopathic remedies are so dilute that in order to contain an actual molecule of the substance they were diluting you would have to drink an entire ocean... or for some remedies: a container larger than the Earth. There is actual pollen in honey, just like there's actual allergen in allergy shots, those things aren't homeopathic. Homeopathic practitioners believe that the water retains a 'memory' of what it was shaken with during the dilution process so it doesn't matter there aren't any molecules of it. OK, I'll stop now, it's just a huge pet peeve of mine when things that aren't homeopathic remedies are called that because it confuses people and gives these dishonest folks selling actual homeopathic remedies some legitimacy by association!

I am a Clinical Nutritionist and have been using remedies like these for myself and my clients. You are correct in using the term homeopathic. Anything found in nature to help the body heal itself IS considered homeopathic. I have been doing work in this field for over 25 years and wanted to let you know you ARE using the correct terminology.

I see your Clinical Nutritionist for 25 years and raise you Registered Dietitian practicing for 31. Not that that means anything, because wrong is wrong whoever is doing the talking.
Homeopathic absolutely does NOT mean "found in nature to help the body heal itself." I have no idea where you learned that, but this isn't a term that is up for debate. It's not an opinion. Homeopathy has a definition, and I urge you to read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy.
I hope you haven't been teaching this sort of nonsense to your patients.

Kate C I had to stop reading you when you said water has a memory. Homeopathy is a practice that is based on the concept that disease can be treated with minute doses of drugs thought capable of producing in healthy people the same symptoms as those of the disease being treated. Like exposure to allergens for allergy therapy. By definition, Vaccines are Homeopathy, as we're given the dead virus to trigger our bodies to make antibodies of that virus..
NONE of that has anything to do with water, diluting with water, oceans, or water having memory., which too absurd to even discuss.. Water is H2O, with NO capability of memory.

"NONE of that has anything to do with water, diluting with water, oceans, or water having memory., which too absurd to even discuss.. Water is H2O, with NO capability of memory. "
You are right that this is absurd, because it is nonsense. That being said, Kate C is right that that is indeed what homeopathy is. Seriously, it is crazy stuff, as absurd as you say it is. Read the Wikipedia entry for homeopathy.

Water does have a memory and that is what Homeopathic remedies are based on!!! There has been many scientific studies and reasearch that proves that. The advanced research has been going on since the 1980's in Europe. Research at this level is dummed down in North America

HA! No doubt. I mean, it's kind of hard to come up with an attractive name for it... The other option, as I saw it, was horseradish, onion, habanero, orange, lemon infused raw vinegar with honey. That just plain doesn't sound good. :D

Great recipe! And good for you, sticking by your title. That's actually one of the reasons I clicked over, because though I've read many recipes for fire cider, I've never heard it described as homeopathic remedy before. So, my curiosity was spurred. Hearing the way you describe honey, now I understand the association, since homeopathy follows the principle of "like cures like".. Very interesting. And I think I like your recipe a little better than the one I'm using now, so I'm going to give it a try. So glad I clicked over and found your site!

I haven't tested it with fresh turmeric root because I really don't have access to it regularly. If I gave you a quantity, I'm afraid it would be guessing at this point. :D I did use the skin on the horseradish, though, after scrubbing within an inch of its life.

Actually, I AM here listening to both of you. I respect your opinion enough to let it stand here in the comments where I'm pretty much the law (since it's my site and I hold the ability to delete anything and everything) but -simply put- I disagree that my use of 'homeopathy' is far enough off of an accepted definition to change it.
Again, I see enough value in this health tonic that I hope you can put your differences aside and try it. Have a great day!

Rebecca, I have to weigh in with those who says your elixir is not homeopathic. Homeopathy asserts that disease can be cured by a substance that in a well person causes the complaints of the sick person. "Like cures like" is homeopathy's motto.
Your tonic sounds marvelous. May it cure many!

To Rebecca
No matter what you do and say, you cannot and will not appease 10 people out of 10.
People assimilate things differently.
Don't waste your time answering people whether or or not your product is so called Homeopthy or not.
I am living proof of using Apple Cider Vinegar.
It literally (with minimal exercise & controlling my diet) saved my life. A 890 blood count to almost 2/1oth of a percent being Diabetic free.
However, the use of such a product dates back to 500 BC for medicinal purposes.
Yours, I was told by one of my clients actually surpasses plane old Organic Apple Cider Vinegar.
Let them say what they want, maybe they ought to try it first, then shoot their mouths off to no avail.
Sincerely
Anthony
PS: I represent no one, but a living proof.

Rebecca,
you are awesome, stand with your beliefs and your rights. There will always be this kind of people that feel the need to criticize, a way or another. They just need attention. I know the time and research you put in your blog. Please keep sharing your findings and recipes for those who enjoy them.
Healthy leaving is on the rise, and America needs it!

I agree Marielle. It's a name. Rebecca could call it yellow sludge! She came up with the recipe, it's her site and I'm going to use her recipe. I have been in alternative health for over 40 years and have never cared what anything is called. My only concern, does it work?!

This sounds interesting! I might have to give it a try. I'm just wondering, does it takes very strongly of horseradish? My husband really doesn't like horseradish, but I can get away with putting a very small amount in sauces - just enough to add a little flavor, but not enough that it is obviously an ingredient. Do you think I should cut back on the horseradish in this recipe for him? Or would that ruin the taste? What do you think? Thank you for your fun blog!

Oooh. That's a little tricky. I wouldn't say horseradish defines the TASTE of this, because it's in with a bunch of other strong things, but it does have the volatile oils in it that make horseradish so pungent when you sniff it... From what I understand of herbal remedies, you're welcome to tinker around with proportions in order to get the effects and flavours you'd like. I'd say it'll definitely change its flavour-profile, but I say go for it if that makes the difference between your hubby drinking it or not! Maybe make two batches (split in 2 quart jars)? One like this (as a control) and a second with a lower proportion of horseradish then you can test both!

I had some of Rebecca's brew today, and I couldn't pick out the horseradish. I could pick out the citrus, the hot pepper, the ginger, and the honey. But not the horseradish. (And I'm pretty sensitive to it, too.)

So so so so pumped you figured out how to make it so now I can make my own. I have been taking it daily and my constant heartburn is gone... which is weird because I would have thought it'd cause heartburn because of the bit of heat and of course the acidity.
Also.... tastes flipping great in coleslaw ;)

Sounds very tasty but be careful about the health claims. Acetic acid is not vitamin C (that's ascorbic acid). For any active ingredient you also need to consider the effective dose range. Paracetamol cures headaches. But you need to know how much to take. One tenth of a tablet won't do anything. One hundred tablets will kill you. Turmeric has been show to have anti-carcinogenic effects in vitro but is very poorly absorbed form the human intestine. As stated above, homeopathy is something else entirely.

Good catch on the acetic acid. There was SUPPOSED to be an ascorbic acid in there, too. I must've backspaced through it. AGAIN, I say (which I did say in the post) that these are claims of health benefits and linked to each of the sources I used to describe the purported (another word I used) health benefits.

Funny you should mention that :) I have TWO kids who willingly drink it and three for whom I believe it will be an effective gauge of whether they're really ill. "Oh you don't feel well? Try this. It will make your immune system stronger!" If they don't drink it, I will know they're faking :)

So like you I have no issues drinking pickle (or olive) juice. Been doing that since I was a kid and I know a shot of vinegar in the morning is really good for you but there is something stopping me. I'm intrigued though, very very intrigued.

This sound great. Totally want to make it and give it a go! But the bottles you stored yours in...... I want those more. I'm sure it's tastier being poured from petty bottles. Please let me, Where did you buy those?

Homeopathic remedies are made in pharmacies under FDA supervision because they are classified as a medicine and are listed in the US pharmacoepia of medicine along with pharmaceutical drugs. Herbs and oils are not regulated but homeopathic remedies are.

Thanks for your input, Debbie, but the title will stand. If you google "homeopathy definition" you will get "the treatment of disease by minute doses of natural substances that in a healthy person would produce symptoms of disease." by that standard, I'm comfortable with my usage.

Can't understand why people go out of their way to pick apart things. I was brought up with a simple philosophy, "if you have nothing nice to say, keep it to yourself". These negative people aren't "helping". They are miserable in their own skin. Don't let the negativty get you down.
My father in law introduced me to this, he made me a batch and I'm going to make my own. He said its done wonders for him. I'm looking forward to it. Thanks for sharing.

Debbie, of course you are concern, you probably will be loosing
money if more and more of us will do our own home made recipes
otherwise why you are against it?
Sorry, but our grandmothers did it all their lives. All ingredients
are healthy for you if you are not allergic to it.
I am very grateful for this recipe.
Thanks to this kind of recipes, I am not taking any medication
and last time I was in the doctors office 15 years ago for poison ivy.
I am 56 years old.

So, I mis-read the instructions and added the honey right away. Any idea if I'll have to re-add later (because vinegar mother would consume it) or if I ruined it?
Also, I forgot the lemon and the orange when I shopped, so I used lemon and orange essential oils. Any predictions about that outcome?
Thanks, md

Hi Marjorie! I'm glad you were willing to give this a shot. I think a few people have accidentally added the honey at the beginning and had okay results. You might want to flip up through the comments and see what they had to say...
As for the lemon and orange essential oils, I'm a little hesitant. I don't think it's going to hurt the overall product, but I don't think it'll do what you would get from the actual lemons and oranges. I would probably (if possible) add the lemons and oranges in now. I love essential oils, but I just feel like in order to get the same orange and lemon presence, you'd have to add enough essential oil to make it taste a little funny. That's just my assumption, though, having used essential oils in other applications and having made a lot of fire cider in my time. :)

You should be fine, Jazzy! Maybe it'll just have a little extra ginger kick. It's hard to really mess this up to the point of not being good. Every batch is slightly different and that should be lovely! 3 habanero sounds delicious to me! :D

I don't know if this thread is still active, but I love the recipe! I'm a huge practitioner of fermentation. I'm taking all the ingredients, initially, minus the cider vinegar and honey, and I'm fermenting them like I do my regular vegetables. After two weeks, I'll add my homemade cider vinegar and local honey. I'm anxious to taste the outcome.
Thanks for the recipe.

Concerning the title of this post: Homeopathic remedies are legally protected as OTD drugs and claiming it to be homeopathic without the proper registration and oversight from the FDA is a federal felony.
Promoting a homeopathic product that does not meet the professional standard can be investigated by the FDA to determine if it is fraud.
If this drink was posted as a home remedy or health drink, I see no problem.

Let me me clear. I am not claiming it cures anything. I am saying it holds true to a certain meaning as I understand it and that meaning differs from your preferred (legalistic) definition. Under the circumstances, it is NOT a claim that it will cure you, I am NOT selling it, I am saying it fits a definition.

Finally ran down the horseradish root after collecting all the rest of it only to realize I drank the Bragg's vinegar and my only local source is also out! Might have to have it shipped from Amazon. I'm so excited about making this! Thank you sooo much for sharing all these recipes! It's exciting to see new recipes to try! The green bean pickles are next!

You could use jalapenos if you're concerned about the habanero heat, Jana, but there's really not a spicy KICK to this... It's background more than present, and there's no lingering heat. All that being said, you know your tastebuds better than I do... if any heat would bother you, I'd try the jalapenos instead!

I must say, I'm intrigued. My great gran was a holistic healer and made something my mom always called Firewater. It sounds remarkably similar to this. I'll definitely be trying your recipe, since no wrote down my great gran's. (Lots of women of her generation, especially in the Appalachian mountains used combinations like this for exactly the reasons you outlined. And they worked as well or better than most of the over the counter and prescription medications.)

This sounds lovely cant wait to try this. I am well aware of the benefits of ACV. As a diabetic I know its good for me. I was wondering how much elixir does this make? How much honey did you use? I would worry if the honey would spike my sugar so I wanted to know if I could use my honey substitute instead. I would consider trying it using the honey if its not a lot that is used for a whole bottle.

Hi Allison- The amount of honey used is entirely up to you and your tastes. If you decide to use a honey substitute, I'd advise stirring it in right before drinking rather than mixing the whole thing up ahead of time! As for us, I tend to mix the infused vinegar about 4 parts to 1 part honey.

Rebecca, I just opened my fire cider after the full 4 weeks---it is fantastic! My husband was initially skeptical but after tasting it he was sold! I have no doubt this is really good for you (how could it not be?), but our family will use it for the flavor alone. Fiery Bloody Marys are on the menu for our at-home-date tonight. Thanks for your boldness in posting this recipe. That is why I LOVE this site.

I just put up my first batch and am waiting on pins and needles to try it. I couldn't find a horseradish root within a decent drive, so I substituted a good sized jar of Boar's Head horseradish in vinegar. I think it
will work fine, though not as pungent as fresh. Thanks for the recipe!

I am laughing out loud reading the comments from all those against using the word "homeopathic"in the title of your post. I can understand maybe one person making their point, trying to convey their opinion on the issue. You replied politely that the title will stand, and why. End of it!!! But then all the "smart" people that keep trying to convince you to do it their way...geesh. The rest of us are interested in your recipe, interested in home remedies and for me personally, interested in creating, in my kitchen, from God-grown ingredients, a recipe that nourishes and treats my body and ailments. Those who aren't interested in the recipe should move on, I am not a scientist nor have i researched to the extent that they apparently have. But i do read for crying out loud, I think most of us relate the word to a healthy concoction for "what ails you". I just wish people would not "bully-post". Thank you for posting a wonderful recipe for those of us interested in the actual recipe, (not the wording of the title, the government regulated bull, etc.) . Wonderful job!!

I wanted to say thank you for sharing this! I came across the link for this post on Pinterest, and after reading it I wondered how I've lived 30 years of life and never heard of fire cider?! I love anything spicy, especially things that are make your nose run spicy... I've just finished combining all the ingredients and can't wait to try this, and have something natural to use during cold season and anytime really.

Can I use horseradish from a jar or do I have to grate fresh? I buy Fire Cider by the bottle from a local co-op and it is a little pricey, but well worth it. If I can make my own I will be even happier....if that's possible! Thanks for your wonderfulness!

Thanks for the article. I like that you tell what each ingredient is intended to do. This is my second year of making fire cider and it is wonderfully powerful stuff. I do need to tell you however, as beekeeper, bees do not make honey from pollen. Honey is made from the nectar of flowers and flowering trees. Pollen is gathered as the bee's protein and nectar is their carbohydrates. Pollen is present in raw honey due to the extraction method when it is pulled from the combs. Store bought pasturized and filtered honey takes away the pollen which is why raw honey will help your allergies but store bought will not...Not meaning to split hairs here...just try to contribute accurate bee information when I see the need. Thanks again for your writing.

Sounds fascinating and like something I will try - thank you so much for posting the recipe. Do you include the seeds of the habanero peppers?
BTW apple cider vinegar also, purportedly and in my experience, helps to ward off and alleviate urinary tract infections.

Apologies if I am repeating a question here but I didn't see it: I can imagine that waiting for 4 weeks to let everything brew/blend is ideal, but could you start using it before then? If so, how soon after making it?

Hi Sandra- I do recommend waiting the four weeks before using. This is so all the good stuff can be infused into the vinegar from the veggies/aromatics. I don't have an earlier point to recommend, because I feel like 4 weeks is both ideal and the minimum :D

This sounds incredible! Questions: at a Tbsp or so a day, how long does a quart last you? With a four week turnaround, how often are making new batches? Also, I do a hot toddy style drink with Braggs ACV, honey, and hot water, would the fire cider be ok for that do you think? Or will it be too watered down? Can't wait to try making my first batch of this! Thanks for sharing!

Oh, Kelli. I would LOVE to tell you how long it lasts, but with my kids sneaking shots of it at regular intervals I'm not so sure. :D I make a gallon at a time, too, because I give it to my extended family, too. I just haven't tracked it. When I'm down to a gallon I start another one :D
I think that hot toddy style drink sounds fascinating with Fire Cider. I'd love to try it myself if you'd care to share your ratios!

Because the vinegar sort of "eats through" the parchment paper to get to the metal canning lid, would there be any problems that you could think of lining the lid first with plastic wrap and then with parchment paper?
Also, we add a spring of rosemary and that seems to really add a depth to it that is delicious!

My only concern with the plastic wrap idea -which seems like a good one- is that the vinegar would then possibly be in contact with plastic for a while. I think I'd rather I just be careful about changing the parchment than have it soaking on plastic... That being said, it's going to line the lid, not the jar itself, so maybe? #NoHelpAtAll :D

Hi Mamie- I actually let it steep in a cupboard where the temperature doesn't really fluctuate. I'm going to say it's about 60 degrees in that cabinet. I do not keep it in the refrigerator when it's done either. After mixing with the honey, I bottle it up tight and then store in the same cupboard where I steeped it. Good questions!

I recently started making this (with a slight ingredient change) and it has done wonders for my husband and myself! We are both pleased with how we feel, especially my husband who has very little issues now with lymphaderma oh his neck from radiation and surgeries for stage IV neck cancer.

Airtight seals are a helpful thing when you invert and shake the bottle around to blend the contents. While I'm not sure airtightness is necessary to the infusing process, I'd say it's definitely needed for shaking, which has to happen every day or so.

Thank you for sharing this recipe! I'm making it for the first time, and unsure about the horseradish root. They vary in girth from thin to thick. I chose the thickest one I could find, about 2 inches across. If I use a 7 inch piece of that, will that be a lot of horseradish or about the right amount? Thanks!

There really is a wide window of variation here that will be fine. The horseradish root I used was also 2-inches across and the final product was delicious. As with many homemade items, each batch of this is just a little bit different, but that's part of its charm!

Just poured off my second batch of this recipe. On the first one I believed that 2 weeks of steeping was just as good as 4. I was wrong. This second batch is much richer and deeper in character. On the health benefit front, I'm pretty sure it knocked out a cold for me in one day. Returned from vacation with all the symptoms of a cold (forgot to pack the Fire Cider) and took a shot when I got in the house. Next day, no cold. My third batch is steeping now. Oh, go with 4 habaneros. It's more of what you sign up for with an experience of belting down a strong mixture of mysterious goodies.

That extra time soaking really does make a difference, doesn't it? I'm so glad you were able to give it a try both ways to see the difference. Would you believe sometimes I go with 8 habaneros? I usually do that for the midwinter/flu season batches!

Thus turned out great!!!!!!!!!!! Wonderful article, keep up the good work and do let all the snobbish homeopathic people bother you. You are doing a good service even if others can't see that because of their self centeredness :)

This is by far the best article and recipe on fire cider I've seen I first saw a this recipe on FB! I've been using it for at least a year now and have recommended it to friends and family. I swear by it and so does my mom, who I recently got her hooked on. It's a little hard to swallow at first, but the benefits outweigh the initial discomfort. I as well as my mom can tell an improvement in our circulation in our legs (she suffers from varicose veins, me inflammation in joints) the next morning after drinking some of this stuff. I like drinking it at night, after a heavy meal and swear it helps unclog arteries! I feel a heat in my chest after drinking it. I will never stop recommending people to try it out!

Can the tonic get mold growing at the bottom? I used organic ingredients to start with and put it in a glass container to steep for 4 weeks, but I'm noticing a blue spot near the bottom that looks like mold. If my container isn't air tight can mold start growing?
What do you suggest?

Hmmmmm. I have no idea, Lindy! I might pour it through a fine mesh sieve into a measuring cup and examine what's at the bottom of the bottle more carefully. It would be very unlikely that mold would grow in that environment, but I can't think of what blue thing would look like it was growing there. I would also highly advise an airtight container in the future!

Blue could be the garlic, which can change color (blue or green) due to an enzymatic reaction. Google it and there are loads of articles about this phenomenon (e.g., http://extension.psu.edu/food/preservation/news/2012/garlic-turns-blue) , and I have seen it mentioned before in other blog comments about fire cider.

It's the garlic, and it's safe. My batch has been infusing for 3 days, and the garlic immediately turned blue, because of sulfur compounds reacting most probably with small amounts of copper in the lemon! The vinegar makes this whole process super safe!

while it's true this isn't "homeopathic" per se, I wonder if you'd try substituting the Braggs ( which is great and folks should ask for locally before resorting to Amazon) with unpasteurized apple cider, and brine so that this infusion ferments. THAT would potentially develop a genuinely biodynamic brew that is lactic acid based, rather than ascetic acid which will never be live. Alternately, one might take filtered brine from a batch of fermented pickles and use that.

Good questions, Michael. I don't think that I would personally sub the raw vinegar with cider because I am not trying to make this probiotic, but rather harness the goodness that is raw cider vinegar! It might be an interesting experiment, though, so I would love to hear what happens if you give it a shot!

Thanks for posting your recipe! I made two half-gallon mason jar batches today. Weirdly, I couldn't find horseradish at any supermarkets in town so I made it with wasabi powder! 1 TBSP per half gallon. Hehe. Well I'll have to see how this turns out.

It turned out great! I now use wasabi powder almost regularly when the natural food store horseradish supply is out. However, the wasabi kick helps when habaneros are also out of supply and I have to use jalapeños.
I've experimented with other aspects too... for some batches I've added extra citrus items, like 3-4 mandarins instead of one orange, for a more citrus-accented flavor. And every batch has about two whole garlic bulbs... hehe...I love garlic.
I love this recipe! I share the cider with people and anyone who likes spicy loves it. If they love it enough and want to make it I encourage them to get started with your recipe. Thank you for teaching and sharing it, Rebecca!!

I love fire cider -- thanks for the recipe and walk-through on your process. I am writing up an article on remedies and comfort measures to get through the cold n flu season. Is that your fire cider ingredients photo? If so, I'd like to request permission to reprint it. You can email me directly if you want more info - it's a small local press, our local food co-op's magazine here in Washington state. I'd much appreciate being able to run that gorgeous photo, with photo credit listed of course.

Read through the entire comment section to see if anyone else mentioned burying the Fire Cider during the 4 week infusion period. My fire cider recipe comes from an older source and they say to create and bury it on the full moon. Then the earth's gravitational pull and the tides gently stir it for 4 weeks until the next full moon when you dig it up and strain. This year I used fresh grated turmeric and it was very good and very much more orange than every before. Glad you brought up the idea of adding the honey to taste. We keep one jar sweet and one jar savory for whatever flavor profile is desired. I tend to like the savory. Somehow I'm never in the mood for sweet and sour garlic and onion flavor. lol:)

Wow! So did you bury yours? I'd love to do a control experiment and see whether it made an appreciable difference in the outcome of the Fire Cider. I've wanted to try making it with turmeric as much for the brilliant orange as the health benefits of the turmeric (which are numerous!)

Hiya,
thanks for the recipe, just at the end of a long cold, I wish I had known about this earlier. I'm certainly going to try that.
However, living in Germany, I wonder what exactly 'raw apple cidre vinegar' is. I get it, that it's vinegar from apples, but why cidre? Is that just an additional name thing or something special? Raw, I reckon, is representing/similar to 'organic' / 'bio...' and non-filtered? Then I won't have problems getting a hold of the major ingredient, all the rest are easily available.
Thanks,
Patrick

Hi Patrick! When I say "raw" apple cider vinegar, that's how raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized apple vinegar that still contains the mother of vinegar and is made from raw, unfiltered juice is marketed here in the US. One of the most common brands here is Bragg's Raw Apple Cider Vinegar. I'm not certain what the equivalent is in Germany. I expect you probably do from my description, though. Would you please share how it's sold in Germany in case anyone else has the question? :D

I only heard about Fire Cider a couple of days ago for the first time and was very interested. I have been taking a tbsp of raw apple cider vinegar with water daily for some time already and this really seemed like all that I was looking for and more. I saw where I could purchase it online and it looked good but expensive. I thought homemade might be the way to go and your recipe seems great. At some point I might try this recipe... however... although I found the pre made cider expensive, it appears it would be just as, if not more, expensive to make it at home. Apple cider vinegar alone costs me $4 for 16 oz typically. Habanero peppers at my supermarket have to be purchased in packages in the fruit and vegetable section (you can't buy single peppers) and are over $4 per pkg. Ginger root also is a few dollars per root not to mention the other ingredients. Well, you get the idea. I think this would cost more than the pre-made. I'm still willing to give it a go at some point as it seems really good. I'm sure I could just buy powdered ingredients which could be stored for longer thus be used for future batches. But I prefer fresh organic ingredients. I'll have to loo into this a bit deeper. Thanks for the recipe!

I understand your concerns, and I don't know where you shop, but it is far, far less expensive for me to make it here. I make two gallons for roughly $30. That is a significant savings over the unit price for pre-made fire cider. I get my raw apple cider vinegar via iHerb or Vitacost by the gallon (sometimes Amazon even has it at a deep discount) and that is a great savings to begin with. I also find local honey to be a less costly way to procure honey than the stuff at the store. Our ginger root is sold per pound and runs about $2.99/lb. I grab habaneros from the bulk produce section, grabbing 3 or 4 (or more if we want a seriously exciting batch.) When you're looking at $15/8 ounces at a minimum for premade Fire Cider, mine ends up saving me quite a lot of money in the long run. I know produce prices aren't equal across the country, though!

Thanks for the response. I was at Wegmans (my local supermarket) today and was sort of pricing. All the peppers are sold loose per pound except for habenero for some reason. 4 bucks per bag. Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar is $6 per qt. But I guess with a bit of legwork I may be able to find ingredients cheap. I'll have to look at this a bit deeper. I guess it can be done a bit cheaper with some legwork and tweaking. I'll have to look into it a bit more. Thanks.

That's bizarre! I get mine from a bulk bin from Wegman's in Buffalo and Hornell. Maybe it depends on the store! I agree that Bragg's is pricey at Weggie's, though. I definitely order it online or get from an Amish store here for significantly less money than the unit price at Wegman's.

Ok, just one last question ...I promise. I have asked this in a couple of other places but with no response. I have made one or two things in the past that required what may be called canning....or at least "sort of" canning....and the jars had to be sterilized. I haven't seen it mentioned in any but (I think) one recipe. Do the jars, or at least the final jar need to be sterilized? Or is the vinegar enough?
Thanks
Tommy

Okay. I'm going to give you a quasi-answer. Official recommendations will tell you to sterilize it since it isn't going through a canner for stability. Personally, as I don't have any compromised immunities, I am okay with the nearly pure vinegar being enough to kill about anything. That being said, caution says sterilize!

I went to six different stores today and could not find horseradish. I couldn't even find pickled or bottled kind. I live in central Florida so is there something else I could do or any suggestions would help.
Thanks so much in advance!

Hi Randy- I know this might sound weird, but I would ask your best stocked local grocery if they would be willing to order some in for you. If that doesn't work, maybe get some dried horseradish root powder from amazon. I haven't tried that, so you'd want to start small on it, I imagine. If you would like, you can use fresh turmeric root, too.

Hello Rebecca,
To my delight, our local Whole Foods in Reno, NV carries fresh Turmeric Root which was my only substitution in the recipe. I have been using the finished product for about a month now and it seems to help my sinus problems. I have sagebrush and so many other allergens around my house and am miserable with allergies, constant sinus drip, sinus infections and tons of fluid in my ears. The Fire Cider seems to be helping my annoying nasal allergies. I only take a Claritin-D tablet once every couple of months. I am hoping to eliminate it all together if the Fire Cider works. It does create a Zing on my Palate and a Fire in my Belly! I am hoping the acidic nature of the Fire Cider helps the PH in my stomach. Thank you for your time!

Hi there! It looks like there's fresh horseradish available on eBay and Etsy right now! I have asked my local grocery store produce manager order some for me (and they have!) and I've also asked local farmers at farm stands to good results.

Hey Jordan! I have a non-answer answer for you. Once you get all your shredded/sliced goodies stuffed into those jars, you use as much Bragg's ACV as it takes to cover it well. In my case, I think I used one and a half 32 ounce bottles, but it varies every time I make fire cider. Best of luck! I think you'll love it!

okay, will do. Going to try a few new things. I have purchased a pre-made Fire Cider, just to get a feel as to what it tastes like. I think I can have a few positive adjustments, Meyer Lemons being my #1. Would you suggest a 4,6 or 8 week process?

Rebecca, You mention storing in a cool, dark place. I have a pantry that would be dark enough, but I live in Baltimore and I don't think it would be cool enough in the warmer months. Would the fridge be okay, or should I try the basement instead? (I just worry that it will get forgotten and not used if in the basement.)
Thanks for all your posts. Love your stuff!

Actually, let me edit my response a smidge. I would say to have a smaller bottle that you get into each day in the refrigerator with the bulk of it stored in the basement. Decant a little into the smaller bottle as needed.

I tried this recipe out a couple of years ago when you first published it. Everyone in my family loves doing a 'shot' of it. It has also been suggested to me that I use it in a salad dressing, it's that good. I haven't bothered yet, but it's a fun thing to bring out anytime we're feeling funky in my family!

I just made "your" recipe which is a slightly different recipe that I have been using. I look forward to the taste of yours since the one I use keeps the grated roots and doesn't add the citrus or the honey. I have been using the "fire side" tincture for over a year and from my experience and my blood work as proof (I had breast cancer and went through chemo and mastectomy) this stuff not only made me feel better but my doctor couldn't believe my bloodworm numbers. My other recipe wouldn't be good as a salad dressing so again I'm excited to try this once the tincture is ready. And btw....that other person who claims to be an expert and is combative....don't listen to her. This sort of cider has cured family colds and helped frame doubly with allergies and like I said previously....my doctor is amazed at my bloodworm numbers and blood health.

I Just realized something and it leads to a question. Since finding out about Fire Cider about a year ago the daily dose most recommended is a one tablespoon per day for general health/immunity.
Before finding out about Fire Cider I was already taking a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar daily and always...as in anything I do...carefully measured out a "Tablespoon." What I'm referring to is a regular cooking tablespoon. For the Fire Cider I've been using the measurement on a shot glass made for such measurements assuming it was a regular Tablespoon. Out of curiosity I measured it yesterday against the regular cooking tbsp and low and behold a regular tbsp is almost double! The shot glass is equivalent to a regular eating utensils tbsp. Now I'm curious. How are people taking their fire cider when they recommend a tbsp? By a standard eating utensil tbsp? That's not actually a "tablespoon." I wouldn't take cough medicine by regular eating utensils. I usually measure using a real tablespoon. or teaspoon. I may be a bit anal....I know....but there is a big dose difference here...almost double.
I know this is an old fashioned recipe but are people also being old fashioned, and like Grandma, still using a regular tablespoon out of the eating utensil drawer? You know that's not really a "tablespoon full?"
Thanks
Tommy

I understand being interested in the details, Tommy. I, too, use a shot glass. Usually about half to two-thirds full is my preferred 'dose'. I think it's up to you. If you've been exposed to stuff, up the dose. If you're just tooling along happily feeling good, probably keep it at a lower dose. And honestly, since it's a folk-remedy, I think which tablespoon you prefer is up for discussion, too. :D

This recipe is the most delicious, thank you for sharing. As a mommy to 3 boys, with 1 who of them who is physically & mentally disabled, I've no time to be ill.
Starting my batch earlier than last year when I came upon your recipe, it'll be my ammo to combat illness and help me through the ruff days.
I could care less what you want to label this as, I call it magic in a bottle.
Have a great day!
-C. Church

Rebecca before I do this, I gotta tell you, as much as I need garlic in my diet, last time I tried a drink like this, the garlic totally ruined it for me. And I would get garlic burps that would torpedo any date. So I'm wondering, what if I went ahead and did this WITHOUT the garlic?! And promised to eat a lot of garlic in other dishes? Would you be cool with that? Or can you SWEAR that this recipe somehow masks the garlic? Thanks for the recipe!
Slayer,
Matt

I buckled and did it with garlic. I didn't use orangw, lemon or honey last time I tried a similar recipe, and maybe this will help make it less garlicy. I mean, it sounds awesome. Couldn't get fresh horseradish in my hood. Next time...

Followed your recipe with the below modifications:
- I used horseradish I had put up myself last year (frozen) from plants I grew - so it was already ground pretty fine
- For the citrus I used 3 tangerines (I forgot to buy lemon)
- added 2 Burdock roots, minced
- I grew quite a few Serrano peppers this summer, and had just frozen them up (vacuum sealed). I had a couple of bags with a Habanero derivative pepper mixed in - used ~1/2 C of these thawed diced peppers per jar
I suspect the peppers will come off hot, which is the point. We're 2 weeks in and I'm hopeful.
Questions, the mixture seemed pretty thick/solid the first week or so, now it seems to be thinner. Do the some of the solids liquefy with the aging process (like the onion)? is 6 weeks better than 4, or is 4 about the point of diminishing return?
Thanks
Guy
Northfield, MN

Hi Guy-
It will definitely loosen up and release liquid making it appear there is more liquid in the jar as it steeps. No worries. I would taste it at four weeks and see if it tastes nice and strong. If you think it could use a little more oomph, let it go another 2 weeks.

Hi! I was curious if i could add vinegar every couple of days? I doubled the batch and packed two gallon jars pretty tight and it's taking quite some time for all the vinegar to settle to the bottom.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe, I'm extremely impatient and want it now!
Alexandria
P.S: Check out my instagram for photos of my fire cider! @zandria.rose

My husband--who always roles his eyes when I have a new natural remedy to try--swears up and down that this kicks his cold symptoms in the butt every. SINGLE. time. He takes a shot when he feels something coming on and, even a couple throughout the day if it's a doozy, then once daily thereafter 'til he's better.
Just made my second (double) batch to have on hand (remembered the citrus this time so we will see how that enhances the flavor).
Thanks again for a great natural remedy for the icky bugs that seem to plague us this time a year.

Hello, when I saved the fire cider drink recipe, I noticed a nutritional facts label. Does that label pertain to the fire cider recipe or is it a generic nutritional fact for advertising?
thank you,
Mark

WOW..
Firstly I would like to say thank you to Rebecca for this wonderful recipe and will will be making this today.
Now that is said, Some of you truly need to grow up, who cares if its this or that, I'm right your wrong bla bla bla.. I hope that some of you don't have children to teach this behavior too. You make me sick. If you don't like it or you think its wrong, does it make you a bigger person to be so negative. Please go get a life and STOP being a keyboard jockey.. LOL
Say what every you like I will not be back you read your silly comments.

I too can drink pickle (and olive) juice out of the jar! And this is the first time I've ever seen anybody else admit it. I've also been pretty good at swigging Braggs out of the jar as well, LOL! But you really got my interest when you mentioned Meniere's Disease because I have been suffering from it off and on since the mid 90's. So I'm stopping the hunt for an infused ACV here -- this is exactly what I was looking for! This one is going to take time tho because I'm brewing up a batch of homemade ACV -- and once done, I will infuse it with your recipe! I can't wait!
And btw......you are a better woman than I because the blog Nazi's would've gotten a taste of their own medicine. What you wrote in your preamble prior to the recipe was crystal clear -- so clear the simple minded can understand. I was truly appalled at the comments. They were uncalled for. And because this is your space, I'll leave it at that. I'm glad you didn't cave.
Really, really looking forward to trying this out. 😎

Hi! I've been making this for two years and this time around, I added honey to the batch along with everything else, then let it steep for four weeks.
Is that wrong? Why should the honey be added AFTER it is ready?
Thanks!

Hi Tommy-
I add the honey after it steeps for two reasons. First, I like to steep the ingredients in the ACV alone for optimal strength. I find it extracts the flavours and compounds better that way. Second, and more importantly, I prefer to sweeten it afterward because then I'm sweetening to taste vs. adding a blanket amount of honey. I find each batch to need slightly differing amounts of honey.

You should wait until the end to add the honey, Lorraine. There are a couple of reasons, but honestly, you want to be able to adjust to taste at the end and the amount you add at the end will be vastly different than what you would add to make it palatable/tasty at the beginning.

I don't see any reason that would do harm to it. It may infuse a little more slowly in the refrigerator, though. And I just want to confirm you are using apple cider vinegar and not just apple cider, correct?

All lint picking aside ....GEEEEZE people...Did ANYONE actually make this and try it or are we all too hell bent on words and miss the recipe all together??? I for one have gone the 55 miles away (I'm in the forest) to buy all the ingredients...and I am going to make it...So Thank you

I have been trying to make this for close to 2 years now but can't seem to work it out. At first my issue was because I refuse to make this without organic ingredients. I won't let this mixture sit for weeks and "infuse" with the vinegar along with pesticides and who knows what else. But where I live in Pa my searches for organic ingredients was in vein. No organic horseradish or Turmeric or ginger anywhere. Farmers markets, health foods...nothing. So I purchased my Fire Cider locally as there was one health food shop that carried it. Recently they opened a Whole Foods 30 minutes away...great! So I went there to look around. Organics...yes! But no organic turmeric (and I want turmeric in my mix). And the oranges and lemons are only sold in bags not single fruits which is way too much fruit and the cost is way high. So here is the thing and something I've tried adding up since I first found out about Fire Cider. Cost.
A quart of ACV is $6.50 and a small jar of honey is $6 or $7. Horseradish somewhere around $5, if I could get the Turmeric another $4 or more. That's close to $25 so far! The oranges and or lemons? A bag is very expensive and I don't need 10 oranges or lemons. The only store to buy singles is 30 minutes in the opposite direction Where they sell the Fire Cider) so that's an hour total driving. And there's still the other ingredients to purchase. So between the cost of the ingredients listed thus far it is already more costly than the pre made stuff. Add in the gas for an hour of driving and I just can't justify it. But seriously, I have been trying. Is everyone finding these items so easily and cheap? Or are many making this with non organics? I wouldn't. The numbers aren't adding up here for me. For the amount made by spending $25 - $30 or more on ingredients I can just buy a bottle premade. I've been trying but can't find a way to get the ingredients cheaper.
Thanks
Tommy

You need to make friends with local gardeners, bee keepers, and farmers, Tommy! Many of them will happy swap free or low cost organic produce in exchange for a bottle or two of fire cider when you're done. The only things I need to source are fresh ginger, ACV (Amazon has the best prices, but Mountain Rose Herbs and Thrive Market also have excellent prices) turmeric root (which I use fresh when I can find it or in dried chunks when I can't. Both versions are available for mail order either through Amazon, Mountain Rose Herbs, or similar places. There is currently fresh, organic turmeric root at $8.50/8oz on Amazon. You can dehydrate and save whatever you do not use immediately for future batches or uses. Shoot, I've even used organic dried ground turmeric to good effect. The same applies to the ginger), organic lemons and oranges which I can purchase singly or in bags. I buy the bags because while I can't use them all at once, I can certainly eat 7 or 8 oranges before they go bad, and I simply plan another use for the lemons before they go bad. For instance, I make Preserved Lemons/Lemons in salt I get the honey, horseradish, onions, habaneros, and garlic from local gardener/farmer friends who either sell it to me tremendously inexpensively or give it to me free in exchange for a bottle of Fire Cider. My work, their produce, we all benefit.

And here is the kicker, you have no idea what they used to make that store bought stuff. So if you source all the ingredients yourself and make it, you know exactly what’s in it and can adjust the recipe to suit your needs. Braggs ACV is overhyped, it’s really no different from any other brand that sells ACV with the mother. I make my own, it’s not difficult and use it in all my recipes that require it. As for the turmeric, ginger, and horseradish roots, either use powdered or buy some roots, organic or not, stick them in a few pots of soil and grow your own. Then you will have a constant supply of fresh roots.
So I guess what I’m saying is, don’t put a price tag on your health.

Hi Sydney- The reason a quantity isn't given is because it can vary depending on how large your jar is and how much of the various vegetables, herbs, fruits, and aromatics you've managed to stuff in there! I hope you like it as much as we do!

I've made this for the last 3 months (so, 3 times). Can I tell you how amazing this is?! It works like a dream! A little background: I have 4 littles (5, 4, 2, 7 months). We're originally from TX but moved to Australia 1.5 years ago. In the last 9 months, we have gotten sick EVERY. SINGLE. WEEK. Even the baby started getting sick from 1 month on. It was a miserable year. All these new Australian germs--I knew we would all get sick being here as our bodies adjusted, but having littles getting sick all the time (my 5 year old was also in preschool, so she was exposed to all those germs as well) was emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausting. Enter this recipe. I was done with getting sick. I needed to boost our immune systems. I started fermenting (but that hurt my baby through my milk, so I had to stop), started making kombucha, and began making fire cider. We haven't gotten sick for the last couple months, and we've had a BRUTAL flu season here in Australia (this winter (May-Sept) has been the worst flu season in awhile, and it's coming to the States). We didn't get the flu in the last 3 months. I LOVE this cider. After we ran out the first month, I learned that, as soon as I strain the tonic, I need to make another batch right away. And we STILL run out! I got a cold last month, started taking fire cider with every meal, and my cold not only lasted one week (a record short time!) but wasn't as brutal as normal. So, this long post is just to thank you, THANK YOU SO MUCH for saving the health of our family. I've been singing this recipe's praises and our whole family has been blessed by this cider. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I'll also add that it's pretty impossible to find horseradish here, so I can't add that to my fire cider (sadly! I would love to add it for the health benefits!) and habanero peppers also aren't common, so I sub out other peppers. Even with those differences, it STILL works!

I am so excited to find your website and read thru your blog!
I've been using Cider vinegar and lemon drink for about two years, but kinda bored with it, so at our local health food co-op, bought a very expensive 8 oz jar of Fire Cider. Well, expensive to me, as I like to make my own, and I'd like a gallon of this stuff - which would cost close to $100. So, after googling Vinegar tonic recipes, found you.
Thank you SO much for the recipe! I'm headed to the store for ingredients. and yes, I plan to use my food processor!

I have a question about the turmeric. Can I use fresh turmeric instead of powder and if so, how much would I use for this recipe. Or is there a particular reason to use the ground spice rather than the fresh. Thank you.

Hi. I made the cider and one of my quart jars has a ring of the mix underenath it when i go to shake it up-the seal appears to be in tact. although both times I rinsed and wiped the bottle .. is this jar going to be ok?

Hi! I’m excited to have a batch of this brewing right now! I’m wondering if I should dilute it before drinking? I’ve recently read that ACV should be diluted when taking for health benefits. Thank you!

How much does this make after it’s been strained? Also, can you estimate how much it costs you to make it & how quickly you go through it? I’ve got a friend who has made some to sell, but I thought it might be less expensive if I made it. (We’re on a very tight budget.)

Hi there! It really depends on how tightly packed you have the jars. I honestly have a different yield every time. And the speed with which we go through it depends on the time of year (we drink a lot more during cold/flu season). I'm sorry to give you a non-answer, but I'm built for honesty. :D The truth is that it is not expensive to make if you source things creatively (bartering fresh horseradish with a friend who grows it in exchange for something you can provide, etc...) The priciest part of the bargain will likely be the raw apple cider vinegar.

LOL me too and much easier on the sinuses. After the month I then run it through my masticating juicer and all the pulp goes into on bin and all the tonic goes into another. Then I dehydrated the pulp and grind it up in the Vitamix for seasoning. No sense wasting perfectly good ingredients.

My fiancé and I just made a batch of this. We ended up dividing in two containers and using 32 oz of vinegar in each. Also added half an apple to each container because it was sitting on the counter. I am super excited to see how this comes out. If it is good then it will be next years Christmas presents to everyone. Thanks for sharing your recipe. Anything that is all natural and can help the body do its thing is great in my book. It’s going to be a long month of waiting. :)

For me it is much easier to put all the dry ingredients into a blender, add just enough ACVinegar to blend it up. Add honey to taste. Don't strain. Keep in lidded glass jar in refrigerator. Use mixture as sauce or eat directly by spoonful.

Hi Tara- I use all parts of the citrus; I do not remove the rind and discard. As the recipe mentions, I add the honey to taste after straining the solids from the vinegar. I hope you get a chance to try it!

Hi Rebecca,
Thank you for this recipe. I love Fire Cider but have never tried making it myself. I was thinking of perhaps running everything through a juicer and then adding all the pulp back to the brew. I'll be using fresh turmeric as well. Any thoughts or drawbacks of this processing method?
- Jodi

Hi , thanks for the Fire Water recipe! I’ve been looking for it as I’ve just heard about it the other day!
I’m jealous of your trip with all that food yumm!
I’m definitely a foodie. But trying to go vegan for health reasons! M.S.!
Best Regards, Deborah

Can I do this as a perpetual fire cider? I made it just about a week ago, and keep taking a shot (the flavor has changed just in the few short days! It's getting more intense and I'm so excited to see how it tastes in 4 weeks!) then after I take a shot, i add more apple cider vinegar and turmeric to it. Can I keep doing that instead of straining it, or do I need to strain it after 4 weeks for some reason? I would toss this one or eat the edible contents at the end of the season and make a new one next year. Is there a reason not to do a perpetual cider for a few months?

Hi Melissa- That's a great question. I've never tried making it that way. I imagine that at some point, the solids would give all they had to give, but I'm not sure what that point would be. I do know that the cider vinegar doesn't seem to extract more flavour for me after 4 weeks. I'd be curious to know how it works for you if you decide to go the perpetual cider route.

Good, GRIEF, the negative comments! lol...If I were you, I'd need to mix up a calming syrup next! haha!
I'm excited to try this, I've got it all ready to go, except I'm having trouble finding a horseradish root (but I'm not giving up...every store has been out of it so far!). I have heard nothing but good reports about fire cider like this. Thank you for the recipe, and the links to explanations. Keep up the good work!

Hi Maria- You can use whatever size jar you'd like that you can fit the stuff into. I generally use half gallon or gallon jars, but you can divide it into quart jars, too. As for how much, ACV you need, that will vary. Just keep pouring as long as it perks down through the ingredients. The last time I made it I used 32 ounces.

Just made a batch! Came to the comments to get any tips/feedback from others that also made it but the comment section is saturated with internet crusaders that did not read the post stating to not comment on whether you believe this is “homeopathic” or not. I’m still excited to see how it tastes and can’t wait to try it in a cocktail! :)

I do not see Tulsi in any of the fire cider recipes I'm finding. Is there a reason for that? It seems like it would be a valued ingredient because it is warming, antiviral, immune boosting, anti-inflammatory etc.

I am not sure it would taste good in the mix with the other items which I know taste great together. Basil can be very overpowering and I think that having it in with all of those other power ingredients might be a little too much.

Hey Chris- I'd be inclined to purchase dried horseradish if I couldn't find fresh. You really do want it present here and I think dehydrating it would preserve many of the same nutrients. Some places I've had good luck finding it fresh are local health food markets, ethnic grocers, restaurant supply stores, and asking my gardening friends. :D

I can't figure out what we are doing wrong. I have made this for a year now. NO ONE in my home will take this willingly. It had my kids over the flu in 1 day last year. This year, they tell how they would rather be sick. In order to get enough when sick, we have to fill 30 capsules 2 times a day. How in the world do people like this. I can't figure out how to make it better.

I'm not sure, Michelle. Are you mixing the strained vinegar with honey to taste? It's strong flavoured, to be sure, but we all like it. And I'm not quite sure what you mean by filling capsules with it. Are you actually filling gel caps or something?

I'm not sure, Michelle. Are you mixing the strained vinegar with honey to taste? It's strong flavoured, to be sure, but we all like it. And I'm not quite sure what you mean by filling capsules with it. Are you actually filling gel caps or something?

I used to make my own but then I found barrier islands version. They claim to be able to retain over 95% of the whole root in vegetable in their cider,resulting in a thicker less vinegar tasting product. I tried some and loved it. I cant make mine like they do and they always run a special.

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[…] and totally worth the price. However, if you’re not into paying for stuff my friend Rebecca made her own. I know this sounds weird but every single time I have horrible heartburn I take a shot of this […]

[…] of it, or try the Cider drink they make it with it at most health food stores. You may also make a Fire Cider Tonic drink which contains fresh horseradish root, ginger root, onion, garlic, lemon, orange, habanero […]

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